. >> reporter: lawmakers are gettingang earful about why they need to avoid the so- called fiscal cliff. >> you gotta nail this down. uncertainty is killing us. >> reporter: top economists came to capitol hill thursday to talk about the impact of tax increases and government spending cuts on the middle class. >> a couple thousand dollars means a couple months rent. for this family. >> reporter: the white house has made clear, the country could go over the cliff if republicans refuse to raise taxes on the top 2% of american earners. >> for them to be burdened, unnecessarily because democrats and republicans aren't coming together to solve this problem, gives you a sense of the costs involved in very personal terms. >> reporter: republican leaders say they will close loopholes and eliminate tax breaks to raise money. but insist that bush-era tax cuts must be extended for all americans. >> reporter: the standoff and the country's skyrocketing debt, concerns ryan shenecki. ♪ [ music ] ♪ so much so, that he's the guy in the can suit, dancing gang thisnam style with the cochair, former se